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ARTICLE | Company News

IQWiG assesses DPP-4 inhibitors

July 2, 2013 12:35 AM UTC

Germany's Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare (IQWiG) issued preliminary benefit assessments for a group of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors that were launched before drug pricing law AMNOG came into effect. IQWiG rejected Janumet sitagliptin/metformin from Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK); Onglyza saxagliptin from AstraZeneca plc (LSE:AZN) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (NYSE:BMY); Galvus vildagliptin from Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS; SIX:NOVN); and Novartis' Zomarist vildagliptin/metformin because the companies did not submit "relevant" data.

IQWiG did say a non-fixed combination of Merck's Januvia sitagliptin and metformin had varying degrees of additional benefit, depending on the specific patient population, over sulfonylurea and metformin. Comments are due July 22. Final assessments from Germany's Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) are expected in mid-September. The DPP4-inhibitors are the first group of drugs to be assessed that were launched prior to AMNOG, which took effect in January 2011. ...